Doc Rivers On Felger & Mazz: No Officiating Conspiracy At Play Against Celtics

Felger and Massarotti were joined by Boston Celtics head coach Doc Rivers to talk about Game 1, the technicals in last night’s game, and how the Celtics are dealing with the injuries.

Is Doc as angry about last night’s officiating as everyone else is? What did Doc do to get that technical last night? What led up to the technical call on Doc?

“Listen, the officiating’s not why we lost the game. Obviously I had my issue and I can only say so much, but we have to play better as a team,” Rivers said. “That’s one of the things [officiating] we can’t focus on.”

Rivers did say that there was nothing else that precipitated his technical foul other than his saying, “Come on, Eddie” to referee Ed Malloy.

“I was surprised by it,” Rivers said. “Let me just put it that way.”

Rivers, though, doesn’t see Monday night’s officiating as a sign that there’s any type of conspiracy at play.

“I did TV years ago and it’s funny, every city I went into, those fans thought that there was a conspiracy,” Rivers said. “Obviously, it’s tough, it just is, so I try to stay away from the subject. But I don’t think there is.”

Regarding Ray Allen, is there more than just the ankle that is giving him problems? How tough is it for Doc to control Ray Allen’s minutes?

“He just has to try to figure it out,” Rivers said. “It’s a tough one. It’s as tough a decision you have because you’re still waiting for one [shot] to go in. But if it doesn’t go in, you have to make the choice, is he doing anything else? His spacing on the floor is terrific, he gives you that. But defensively he’s struggling as well, so every game we have to make a choice right now with Ray. … I will say this — I think 38 minutes is too much for Ray right now. We have to do a better job of managing his minutes and his minutes in a row.”

Rivers said he and the team haven’t made any decision about possibly resting Allen for a game, adding that the trainers aren’t even positive that a potential four-day rest would even help Allen heal.

How worried is Doc about the matchups against the Miami Heat? How healthy is Paul Pierce?

How comfortable are the Heat playing against the C’s? How has LeBron James changed since last season?